This course assumes no previous
background in Islamic or South Asian studies. It
will explore the coming of Islam to South Asia, its
growth over time, and the development of South Asian
Muslims' cultural, social, religious, and political
life from the 11th century through the 21st.
Readings will include not only scholarly works but
also material (in translation) from chronicles,
biographies, memoirs, novels, stories, and other
primary sources.

Grades will be based on: first, two
short (6-7 page) papers (20% each), which will be
drawn from readings in primary sources, with much
choice available; second, class attendance, oral
presentations as assigned, and thoughtful discussion
(20%); and third, a final exam (40%). Reading will
amount to about 125-150 pages a week and will be of
varying levels of difficulty.

The course has a very substantial
website, located *here*.
Because of the amount and kinds of material on it,
the website has to be password-protected and open
only to enrolled students (through Courseworks).
If you are not an enrolled student, you can still
find links to many relevant and publicly available
resources through Prof. Pritchett's main website:
http://www.columbia.edu/~fp7.

Much of the reading for the course
(apart from a small number of books, listed below,
to be purchased from Labyrinth) will be available
through the website, as will a large number
of maps, images and hyperlinks. Further
information about the website and all other
arrangements for the course will be provided in
class. There may be a field trip to the
Metropolitan Museum (specially arranged for us,
since their Islamic Galleries are currently closed
for renovation); a special visit to the Rare Books
collection at Butler; and/or other such events, as
opportunity offers.

~~ COURSE
TOPICS ~~

WEEK ZERO:
SETTING THE SCENEThe geography of
western Asia and South Asia; the birth of Islam; sea
routes; the Caliphate's expeditions to Sind in the
8th century. Readings from: Ikram,
background materials

WEEK THREE:
AKBAR AND HIS TIMESAn astonishing
emperor-- with his Rajput-based politics, his
religious eclecticism, his omnivorous interests, he
was almost too creative for his own good.Readings from: Ikram,
Eaton, AlamPrimary-source text:
Abu'l-Fazl, Akbar-namah

WEEK FOUR: THE
MUGHAL EMPIREA large-scale
collaborative project, supported by many local
rulers for their own reasons, that might almost be
called the "Mughal-Rajput empire."Readings from: Ikram,
Eaton, RichardsPrimary-source text:
Jahangir, Jahangir-namah

WEEK FIVE:
AURANGZEB AND BEYONDSuccession struggles,
troubles in the Deccan, European powers nibbling at
the coasts, a slow but terminal decline-- does
Aurangzeb deserve all the blame?Readings from: Ikram,
Eaton, LalPrimary-source texts:
Bernier, Travels in the Mogul Empire;
Aurangzeb, Farewell

WEEK SIX: THE
BRITISH ARRIVEMercantilism and
expansion-- the East India Company is an important
new player but fits quite well (at first) into the
old power-politics games.Readings from:
Metcalf, Alam, SrikanthPrimary-source text:
Dean Mahomed, The Letters of Dean Mahomed

WEEK SEVEN:
REACTIONSNot only the bloody
revolt of 1857, but a complex range of other
responses to the multifarious and ever-expanding
reach of Company rule.Readings from:
MetcalfPrimary-source text:
Sir Sayyid Ahmad Khan, Causes of the Indian
Revolt

WEEK EIGHT: URDU
POETRYA look at classical
Urdu ghazal, one of the glories of world lyric
poetry, and at the life of Ghalib, its last and
greatest master.Readings from: Naim
and Petievich, Pritchett, RussellPrimary-source texts:
Ghalib, Dastanbu (and letters, and one
ghazal)

WEEK NINE: NEW
IDEASA crucial moment of
decision: should Muslims throw in their lot with the
newly-formed "Indian National Congress," or should
they organize separately?Readings from:
Metcalf, HurstPrimary-source texts:
Hali, An Immortal Life; Sir Sayyid Ahmad
Khan, two crucial speeches

WEEK TEN: OTHER
VOICESWhat about Shi'ite
Muslims? What about Muslim women? What roles have
they played in South Asia, and how have they made
their voices heard?Readings from:
Oldenburg, Cole, Hasan, SchimmelPrimary-source texts:
Thanavi, Bihishti Zevar; Chughtai, "The
Wedding Shroud"

WEEK ELEVEN:
TOWARD INDEPENDENCEThe momentum builds,
but what's the best way to get rid of the British?
And how to decide what political structures should
replace them?Readings from:
Metcalf, Rajmohan Gandhi, Akbar AhmedPrimary-source texts:
Iqbal, Jinnah, speeches; Manto, "Toba Tek Singh"

WEEK THIRTEEN:
OVERVIEWDetails to be
announced; class members will be involved in
choosing and presenting the materials.Primary-source texts:
readings from: Hasan & Asaduddin, Naim, some
modern Muslims

COURSE
WEBSITE:
For access, log in through "Courseworks"(The
main course website URL
is
password-protected)

List of texts to
be purchased from BookCulture (formerly
Labyrinth)

Richard M.
Eaton, The Rise of Islam and the Bengal
Frontier, 1204-1760. Berkeley: University of
California Press, 1993.

Barbara D. and
Thomas R. Metcalf, A Concise History of India.
Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2002; OR:A Concise
History of Modern India (Cambridge 2006),
the second edition (with title change). Either one
will be fine.